pls exam 1 Flashcards
(92 cards)
1
Q
What are the 6 things the constitution needs to accomplish?
A
- Create a form of government
- Distribute political power
- establish authority
- create limits on the government
- conflict management
- define citizenship
2
Q
Where is the bill of rights located?
A
MO: After the preamble
US: Last
3
Q
What is referendum?
A
is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue.
when elected officials place stuff on ballot
4
Q
What is initiative?
A
A petition to propose amendments to the constitution.
citizens put stuff on ballot
5
Q
What is recall?
A
a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through direct vote before his term has ended.
6
Q
What are the Bills of Attainder?
A
an act of legislature declaring a person/group guilty of some crime and punishing them without a trial
7
Q
What is Habeas Corpus?
A
Cannot retain anyone without charging them with a crime
8
Q
What are ex post facto laws?
A
You cannot be charged for a crime that you committed before the act was declared illegal
9
Q
How often do the voters decide whether a convention should be called?
A
every 20 years
10
Q
What is the year of the current Missouri Constitution?
A
1945
11
Q
What year was the US constitution made?
A
1787
12
Q
What is the Hancock Amendment
A
States that missouri cannot spend more money than it takes in. Also states that MO cannot tax, license, or increase fees without voter approval
13
Q
Order
A
Established ways of social behavior. Maintaining order is the oldest purpose of the government.
-Viewed in narrow sense of preserving life and protecting property. Viewed in broader sense of maintaining social order
14
Q
Freedom of
A
An absence of constraints on behavior, as in freedom of speech or freedom or religion
15
Q
Freedom from
A
immunity, as in freedom from want
16
Q
Political Equality
A
equality in political decision making: one vote per person, with all votes counted equally
17
Q
Social Equality
A
equality in wealth, education, and status
18
Q
Equality of Opportunity
A
the idea that each person is guaranteed the same chance to succeed in life
19
Q
Rights
A
the benefits of government to which every citizen is entitled
20
Q
Equality of outcome
A
the concept that society must ensure that people are equal
21
Q
Original dilemma of democracy
A
freedom vs. order
22
Q
Modern dilemma of democracy
A
freedom vs. equality
23
Q
Two dimensional classification of ideologies
A
- Libertarians: those who are opposed to using government to promote either order or equality (Value freedom more than order/equality)
- Communitarians: those who are willing to use government to promote both order and equality (Believe government should promote moral values, will trade off freedom for both order and equality)
24
Q
Direct (Participatory) vs. Indirect (Representative) democracy
A
Direct democracy: system of government where rank and file citizens rule themselves rather than electing representatives to govern on their behalf
Indirect democracy: a system of government where citizens elect public officials to govern on their behalf
25
What is democracy?
System of government in which people rule, either directly or indirectly
26
What is republic?
A government without a monarch, power is exercised by elected representatives responsible to the government
27
What are the freedoms of colonial americans?
Freedom of religion, to acquire land/property, and trade
Freedom of speech, press, and assembly
28
Boston Tea Party
Colonists dumped british tea into the boston harbor after the stamp act was passed. Political protest against tax on tea by the sons of liberty.
29
What was the Articles of Confederation?
The compact among the 13 original states that established the first government of the US
First constitution of america after independence.
Multi-person executive, low taxes, and gave the government little power
30
John Locke and God given/natural rights
Natural law: all humans get certain rights from nature/God
Government cannot take away God given rights
John Locke: english philosopher who believed that all knowledge is derived from sensory experience
31
Social Contract Theory
Governments are set up for the good of the people, not for the benefit of those in power
-Primary purpose of government is to protect natural rights
-When the government fails to protect life, liberty, and property, it is the people's job to replace that government
32
Major Premise, Minor Premise and Conclusion of Declaration of Independence
-Major Premise: why its okay to have a revolution, natural law, social contract theory, justification for the revolution
-Minor Premise: US proving our case, facts/evidence against the King
-Conclusion: why we ought to be free, 13 free and independent colonies, North/South Carolina weren't going to sign until slavery was taken out
33
Virginia Plan
-Large state plan
-Legislature is bicameral
-House and Senate based on population
-Executive: one person serving one term
-Legislature is controlled by large states
*Did not have enough small state support
34
New Jersey Plan
-Small state plan
-Legislature is unicameral
-House is equal representation
-Executive is multiperson
-More taxing authority and commerce
*Not enough support so it was voted down
35
Great Compromise
-Legislature is bicameral
-House is based on population
-Senate is equal representation
-Executive is one person
36
Electoral College
Each state sends representatives to the electoral college to vote on president
ex: 2 senators + 23 house = 25 electoral votes
37
Republicanism
form of government in which power resides in the people and is exercised by their elected representatives
38
Federalism
the division of power between a central government and regional governments
39
separation of powers
the assignments of lawmaking, law-enforcing, and law-interpreting functions to separate branches of government
40
Checks and Balances
government structure that gives each branch some scrutiny of and control over the other branches
41
Purposes of the first 3 articles
establish the separate branches of government and specify their internal operations and powers
42
Enumerated powers
Means that congress can exercise only the powers that the constitution assigns to it
43
Necessary & Proper Clause
Gives congress the means to execute its enumerated powers
44
Implied powers
powers that congress requires in order to execute its enumerated powers
45
Article One
the legislative article: defines the bicameral congress and internal operating procedures of the house & senate
Enumerated powers, necessary and proper clause, implied powers, elastic clause
46
Elastic Clause
gives congress ability to make all laws that are all necessary and proper
47
Article two
Executive Article: sets the president's term of office, the procedure for electing a president through the electoral college, the qualifications for becoming president, and the president's duties and powers
48
Article Three
Judicial Article: Declared the supreme court the highest court in the land. States that unless impeached, federal judges serve for life. Congress exercises a check on the judicial branch through its power to create and eliminate lower federal courts
49
Article 1, Section 8
-Enumerated Powers: congress can exercise only the powers that the constitution assigns to it
-Necessary and proper: gives congress the means to execute the enumerated powers
-implied powers: powers that congress must have in order to execute its enumerated powers
50
What are the first ten amendments called?
Bill of Rights
51
How many amendments are there altogether?
27
52
What is the formal amending process?
-2 Stages: Proposal and Ratification
-Proposal: amendments can be proposed by a 2/3 vote in both the house and the senate or by a national convention
-Ratification: a proposed amendment can be ratified by a vote of the legislatures of 3/4 vote of the states or by a vote of constitutional conventions held in 3/4 of the states
53
Dual federalism
Layer Cake
-2 levels: federal and state
-Each level has their own powers
-Built on powers given to congress
*enumerated powers
-States are constantly fighting federal government for infringing their rights
-Pre-Civil War
54
Cooperative federalism
Marble Cake
-Federal and state levels mixed together
-"Layers" are mixed but still separated
-Relies heavily on the elastic clause
-What we use today
55
What is the Supremacy Clause?
Clause in article 6 of the constitution that asserts that national laws take precedence over state and local laws when they conflict
56
McCulloch vs. Maryland
1819
Questioned if federal government could have a national bank
Supreme court used implied powers to justify a national bank
Imposed a tax on all notes of banks not chartered in Maryland
57
Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott was a slave who lived in a free territory and then moved to a slave territory and he fought for his freedom since he was from the free territory.
58
Brown vs. Board of Education
1954
Court declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional
59
What are Grants-in-Aid?
Money provided by one level of government to another, to be spent for a specific purpose
60
What are Block Grants?
A grand in aid awarded for general purposes, allowing the recipient great discretion in spending the grant money
61
what are the two types of categorical grants?
formula and project grants
62
Formula Grants
A grant distributed according to a particular formula that specifies who is eligible for the grant and how much eligible applicant will receive
63
Project Grant
awarded on the basis of competitive applications submitted by prospective recipients
64
Incentives and sanctions (2 types)
Used to get the public to do stuff
2 types of sanctions:
1. Legislative: when congress passes a law that punishes state behavior
2. Judicial: Court steps in and says state is doing something wrong
65
Counties, Municipalities, and special districts
County government: the government unit that administers a county
Municipal government: the government that administers a city/town
Special district: a governmental unit created to preform particular functions, especially when those functions are best performed across jurisdictional boundaries
66
Amendment 1
Freedom of Religion / Speech / Press
67
Amendment 2
Right to bear arms
68
Amendment 3
Housing Soldiers
69
Amendment 4
Unreasonable search and seizure
70
Amendment 5
Right to life, liberty, and property
71
Amendment 6
Rights of accused persons in criminal cases
72
Amendment 7
Rights in civil cases
73
Amendment 8
Excessive bail, fines, and punishments forbidden
74
Amendment 9
other rights kept by the people
75
Amendment 10
Undelegated powers kept by the states and people
76
oligarchy
ruled by a few / authoritarianism
77
autocracy
ruled by one / totalitarianism
78
top left
liberal
79
bottom left
libertarian
80
top right
populist
81
bottom right
conservative
82
liberal
supports individual rights, civil liberties, social equality, and government intervention in areas like healthcare and education
83
conservative
values tradition, limited government intervention, and a free-market economy
emphasize family values, personal responsibility, are are cautious about rapid social or political change
84
populist
appeals to the concerns and interests of ordinary people against political elites or government institutions
say they represent the "common people" against elites
85
libertarian
limited government intervention in personal and economic matters, emphasize individual liberty, personal responsibility, and free-market capitalist
they minimize government involvement in areas like taxation, regulation, and social issues
86
majoritarian democracy
recall, referendum, initiatives
87
pluralist democracy
group theory
88
group theory
try to influence policy at national, local, and state levels
stronger groups
89
procedural democracy
decision making that involves:
universal participation, political equality, majority rule, and responsiveness
90
substantive democracy
policies should guarantee civil liberties and rights
91
amendment 11-27
make public policy, correct deficiencies in the government's structure or promote equality
92
statewide office holders in Missouri
8 seats in the house of reps
